


you are too well tangled in my soul

by melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme



Series: doctor/river ficlets :) [6]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: "He left me like a book on the shelf.", Angst and Feels, F/M, Post-Episode: s07e14 The Name of the Doctor, Post-Library River Song, River is Angry at the Doctor and honestly it's fuckin valid, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:07:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29359245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme/pseuds/melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme
Summary: “How could you trap me in that hell,” she started, her voice quiet with fury, “and never return? No visits, no messages - I was in that computer for over athousandyears and you couldn’t take a second away from your joyrides to even check if I was still there.”
Relationships: Eleventh Doctor/River Song, The Doctor/River Song
Series: doctor/river ficlets :) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033860
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	you are too well tangled in my soul

**Author's Note:**

> title from atticus.

The first thing she did when she regained consciousness was slap him.

It was instantaneous; one sharp slap as her expression contorted with rage and heartache as their eyes met. Her breathing grew heavy as she struck him, and though he expected it he still cried out in pain and stumbled a few paces back.

“How dare you,” she hissed, and when he looked back up at her again, his hand covering his reddening cheek, he saw that she was quivering and her eyes were filled with tears. “How  _ dare _ you, Doctor.”

“River,” he gasped, as she advanced on him dangerously again, getting out of the bed and striding calmly towards him. “River, I-”

“How could you trap me in that hell,” she started, her voice quiet with fury, “and never return? No visits, no messages - I was in that computer for over a  _ thousand _ years and you couldn’t take a second away from your joyrides to even check if I was still there.”

He gulped as she glared at him through her tears, still wearing that ridiculous garb she wore in Trenzalore, her hair like a majestic lion’s mane against the bright lights of the medbay.

“I thought you would come back,” she said, shutting her eyes. She seemed angry - but not at him this time. At herself. “I thought you would have the decency to just erase me if you couldn’t find a way to save me. But you just went off gallivanting with your women. Did you even spare a thought for me at all? Or was I really just  _ Professor Song _ to you?”

“Don’t be - I - River - of course -” the Doctor stammered, but as she watched him, his cheek bright red from the force of her slap, she seemed to lose all the fight in her.

She turned back to the bed and leant on it, her shoulders hunched as she cried.

“I thought you would come back,” she repeated, but instead of the fury with which she spat the words out before, now it was with a choked sob as tears poured out of her. “I waited for you. Every day I waited for you, until I realised that you wouldn’t come. I was on my own. And then, after Trenzalore, it dawned on me - I was always on my own.”

She turned and perched on the edge of the bed, looking at her husband with gaunt eyes and a wry smile.

“You never intended to save me, did you, my love?” she asked softly. “You trapped me there when we met but by the time we married you must have realised just how much I would have hated being in that data core - and yet you never had the decency to even see me there.”

The Doctor shut his eyes and looked down. He didn’t know what to say - she was right, about all of it. She didn’t deserve him; she deserved a husband who loved her selflessly and he - he was the most selfish man in the universe.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered brokenly, but it didn’t sound enough.

“Did you even grieve for me?” she asked him, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. “Or did you find some other young, pretty thing to impress? What was her name - Clara, was it? I hope you treated her well, my love.” she laughed harshly. “ Better than you treated me, anyway.”

“Of course I grieved for you,” the Doctor answered softly, his eyes still shut tight. He couldn’t look at her. “I never stopped grieving for you.”

But she shook her head. “You didn’t even tell anyone about me. Like I never existed at all.” she pointed out to him. “Clara didn’t even know you were married - what did you tell her I was?”

He didn’t answer for a moment. And then he mumbled, “An ex.”

She nodded once. “Is that what you want me to be? An ex? Was that what it took for her to fuck you?”

The Doctor’s eyes widened. “ _ No _ , River -”

“I’m leaving,” she interrupted. “If you want me to be an ex, then I’ll be one. I’ve spent too much of my life trying to be someone you can love, Doctor. I’m not about to squander my second chance at living on someone who never wanted me in their life.”

“Stop,” he whispered.

“Why?” she challenged, eyes blazing. “You know it’s true. I gave everything up for you. I gave my lives to you - every single time, I was there for you. And you couldn’t even-” she closed her eyes and swallowed as more tears escaped. “You couldn’t even get over yourself to visit me. Just admit that it’s over, Doctor. Because I am so tired of hurting over this - over you.”

“It’s not over,” he said softly, staggering towards her. His eyes were blinded with tears as he dropped to his knees and held her hands. “It’s  _ not _ over, River. You’re right - you deserve better than me. You’ve given me so much that I don’t deserve - and I couldn’t - I’m not -” more tears escaped and he took in a shaky breath as he continued. “You asked if I grieved for you. I couldn’t - after our last night, I didn’t leave the Tardis for over a century. I held your pillow to sleep because it smelled like you. I drove myself crazy because I missed you so much it felt like my hearts were being ripped apart.”

He looked up at her and kissed the back of her hands. She was watching him and crying silently, red rimmed eyes cautious but hopeful. But he could still see how betrayed and heartbroken she felt, and he wished that he was a better man.

“I’m sorry.” he repeated again. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You deserve a billion apologies after what I’ve done to you and it still wouldn’t be enough.” He pressed another shaky kiss to her skin and she felt his lips quivering against her. “When I found out you escaped, I - I couldn’t get there fast enough. I was so - so unbearably happy, River. Happier than I’d ever been. It was like my hearts stopped ripping themselves apart.”

He sighed, heavy and remorseful, as he looked down and shook his head. “But I don’t deserve you. You’re right, River. I didn’t tell anyone about you. But only because - because every time I thought about you, all the pain would come flooding back. It reminded me that I could never be with you again. So I didn’t tell anyone - it wasn’t because - I didn’t do it so I could -”

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice gentler than it had been since she woke up. “She liked you, you know. I could see it. And my love, you are not as innocent as you like to pretend. If she’s who you’re with now and I’ve showed up and complicated things, just tell me.”

His head shot up and he held tightly onto her hands as he answered with a firm, “ _ No _ . It’s not like that, River. I - not since - I couldn’t. Please believe me. Please, River.”

“But she-” River frowned. “So you didn’t fuck her?”

The Doctor flinched at her curse, but shook his head. “There was never any chance of it.”

River looked doubtful but didn’t say anything. The Doctor sighed and stood, sitting next to her. She didn’t move away but she didn’t turn towards him either.

“I didn’t forget you. You were everywhere, River. I could hear your voice in my head, telling me that I left the brakes on or scolding me for being so slow.” he said. She remained motionless, looking down at her lap. “I know I haven’t given you any reason to believe me, but I do love you, River. You’re my wife. And I - I’m so happy to see you. I’m so happy that you’re alive and breathing and - and free. And if you want to remain free, I won’t stop you.”

At that, she turned to look at him, her eyes slightly widened in shock. He continued, smiling reassuringly at her.

“You choose what you want, dear. I won’t stop you. I can be in your life as your husband, or a friend, or,” he paused, as though even thinking the words were hard. “Or I can not be in your life at all. I won’t blame you if you choose that. But I wouldn’t be a selfish old man if I didn’t at least try to convince you to stay.”

“Doctor,” she whispered, but she didn’t seem to know what to say.

“I will be better,” he whispered, fresh tears springing into his eyes as he gazed at her. His expression was one of hopeful desperation - she recognised it from when they fought together and were on the brink of losing. She never realised she was something he wanted to fight for. “If it’s for you, I know I can be better. Please let me try. You don’t owe me anything - God knows I don’t deserve this at all - but I swear, River, I’ll do everything I can for you.”

He reached out to touch her cheek lightly, wiping her tears away. “I’ve missed you so much. I love you so, so much, River.”

He leaned towards her but before he could blink she threw herself into him, sobbing into his chest as she clutched tightly at him. His arms wound themselves around her automatically and he found himself holding her, stroking her hair and shushing her.

“Whatever you choose, dear,” he whispered soothingly to her, rubbing her back as she shook in his embrace. “Just remember that I love you. Please, don’t forget that.”

She cried and cried and cried until she couldn’t anymore, until tears refused to fill her eyes again. She felt so conflicted but she knew herself - she knew that there was never any choice to begin with. It was only ever  _ him _ , the Doctor. Her stupid husband.

‘You don’t have to choose now,“ he told her softly, as she stopped shaking and simply rested her head against the wet spot on his chest where she cried. "Think about it for a while.”

“I don’t have to. I know what to choose,” she mumbled against his chest. She pushed herself up and looked into his eyes, her hand reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. “Just please, don’t make me regret it.”

His eyes burned with more tears at the realisation that she was choosing him. He sniffed and dropped his forehead onto hers, hugging her tightly to him.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered again. “River, my wife, my partner - my equal. How could I ever fall in love with anyone after spending centuries loving you?”

She smiled against him. “Don’t be an idiot, sweetie.”

Their lips met for the first time in centuries.


End file.
